Refrigerator latch operating mechanism



June 29, 1943.

W. O. BURKEl HEFRIGERATOR LATCH OPERATING MECHANISM Filed May 9. 1942 Lhmwwvvdlv :lill all .Lll/lllllllll @Tli Patented June 29, 1943 OFFICEy REFRIGERATOR LATCrroPERATING,

MEcHANisM y ,1

William o. Burke, Rockford, 1ll.,'assignor to Nm,

tional Lock Co., Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Applicaiin May 9, 1942, serial No. 442,294

4 claims. (cl. 292-122) l This invention relates to operating mechanism for latches, and the specific embodiment thereof heredisclosed is designed particularly for use on refrigerator doors.

The invention aims to provide an operating 'mechanism including a handle so mounted that the"mechanism will release the latch on movement of the handle either outwardly away from the face of the door or transversely across the face ofthe door.

More specifically the invention provides a `mounting for the operating handle which permits universal movement of the handle and mechanism by which such movement in any direction is transmitted to the latch. My present invention accomplishes the purposes of, but constitutes an improvement upon, the operating structed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 showing the parts in another position;

lF'ig. 3 isla sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. l'; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

-Referring to the drawing more in detail, a fragment of the door upon which the mechanism is mounted is indicatedby reference character 5 and the operating handle by reference character G. The outer wall of the door is provided with an opening 'l over which is mounted a supporting member 8 in the form of a plate having an outwardly olf-set portion 9. A U-shaped yoke II is swiveled upon the outer face of the olf-set portion by means of a stud I2 extending through said portion and the base of the yoke. The yoke is, therefore, capable of rotative movements about the stud I2 in either direction from the normal position shown, one swiveled position of the yoke being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The handle 6 straddles the yoke II and is pivotally mounted thereon by means of a pintle I3. The handle, which is formed of sheet metal, comprises a circular flanged base I4 reinforced by a heavier inset ring or washer I5, both the base and the reinforcement being centrally apertured to accommodate the yoke II. The base is also provided with slots I6 and the reinforcement I5 is provided with recesses I1 to accommodate the legs of a U-shaped arm I8 also'pivoted onthe pintle I3. The extension of the arm legsthrough the reinforcedhandie base provides arigidr connection between this arm and thehandle, so that 'they move together and are for practical purposes integral. A spring I9 surrounding the pintle, and having one endengaging the base of the yoke I I andits other end engaging the reinforcing ring ".I 5, serves to` normally retain the handle and parts associated therewith in the position shown in Fig. 1. It `will be `manifest that the pivotal mounting of the handle (i` on the `pintleil3 permits outward swinging movement vof the handle yaway from the face of the door from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, and that the swivel mounting of the yoke I I upon the off-set portion 9 of thesupporting plate 8 permits transverse swinging movement of Jthe handle in Veither direction about the stud'l2.

An ornamental cover plate 2| overlies the supporting plate Band is secured thereto by tangs 22 bent inwardly from the perimeter ofv the cover platel beneath the margin of the supporting member. An ornamental cap 23 lits over the pivoted portion of the handle `and 'is attached thereto by a plurality of tangs 24, said cap projecting within the connes of the hanged upper portion 25 of the cover plate 2I.

A sponge rubber disc or block 2E of substantial thickness is disposed within the outwardly offset portion 9 of the supporting member Ii and is slotted to snugly embrace the legs of the'operating arm I8. A gasket 21 interposed between the supporting member 8 and the wall 5 'of the door and held in position by the screws 28 by which the supporting member B is mounted, serves to hold the block against displacement. The block i serves as a hermetic seal to prevent heat transference by air leakage around the operating mechanism. The yieldability of the block permits the requisite movements of the operating arm I8 without breaking the seal.

A channel-shaped housing 29 attached to the inner face of the door wall carries a channelshaped reciprocatory slide 3I which is slidably secured to the housing by a rivet 32 extending through a slot 33 in the slide. The lower end of the arm I8 is provided with a transversely eX- tending cross-head 34 disposed contiguously to the end wall 35 of the slide and in proximity to a pair of studs 36 and 31 projecting inwardly from the housing 29. The slide is slotted to accommodate these studs and permits its reciprocatory movements. A coil spring 38 interposed between the slide and the housing urges the slide into the normal position shown in Fig. 1, all as disclosed more in detail in my aforesaid application, in which is also disclosed the door latch and the operative connections between said latch and the slide 3l', not necessary here to be shown.

An outward pull exerted upon the handle 6 will cause the handle head to pivot on the pintle I3 from the position of Fig. 1 to that of Fig. 2, thereby swinging the arm I8 in a counter-clock- Wise direction to move the slide 3| from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2, thereby actuating the latch. The slide can also be actuated to operate the latch by swinging the handle` laterally in either direction from its normal position. Should it be swung away from the observer for instance, viewing Fig. 1, the crosshead 34 will fulcrum against the stud 31, thereby causing the `other end of the bar to move the slide 3|v into the position shown in Fig. 2. The fulcruming action of the cross-head will cause the end of` the handle to travel away from the face of the door as it is moved laterally, so that when the slide 3| has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the handle will be in an inclined position relatively to the door. Should the handle normal position, the stud 36 will serve as the fulcrum for cross-head 34, the slide will be actuated and the handle will assume an inclined position relatively to the door face. Thus the slide will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 to operate the latch upon movement of the handle in any direction. v

It will be manifest from the foregoing that I have provided a latch operating mechanism capable' of being actuated by movement of a handle either outwardly `or transversely from normal position; that the parts are of simple construction which can be economically manuiactured; that a universal mounting of the handle is provided without the employment of a ball and socket construction; and that the mechanism is hermetically sealed against air leakage in all positions of the parts.

The structural details shown and described for illustrative purposes may obviously be varied Within considerable limits without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the fol lowing claims.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator latch operating mechanism, comprising a supporting member adapted to be mounted on a door, a yoke swiveled on said member, a handle pvoted on said yoke, said handle being movable outwardly about said pivot and laterally about said swivel, an operating arm rigidly connected with said handle and provided at its inner end with a cross-head, a latch operating slide arranged in cooperative relation to said cross-head, and xed pivot studs in proximity to the ends of said cross-headsV about either of which said cross-head may pivot to actuate the slide upon Alateral movement of said handle.

2. A refrigerator latch operating mechanism, comprising a supporting member having an outwardly off-set portion, a heat insulating element disposed in said off-set portion, a handle support swiveled on said o-set portion, a handle plvoted on said handle support, an operating arm rigidly associated with said handle and pro- Y jecting inwardly through said insulating element, a cross-head carried by said arm, a slide arranged to be actuated by said cross-head, and pivot abutments with which said cross-head cooperates to actuate said slide upon movement o said handle about said swivel.

3. A refrigerator latch operating mechanism, comprising a. supporting member adapted to be mounted on a door, a yoke swiveled on said membed, a sponge rubber sealing disc interposed between said member and the face of the door, a handle pivoted on said yoke, an operating arm fixed with respect to the handle and projecting through said disc, a cross-head carried by the inner end of said arm, a latch operating slide disposed in cooperative relation to the cross-head, and a plurality of fixed pivot studs adapted to be'engaged by said cross-head upon swiveling movement of said handle to actuate said slide.

4. A refrigerator latch operating mechanism, comprising a dished supporting member adapted to be mounted on the door, a sponge rubber sealing block disposed within said supporting member, a yoke swiveled on said member, a handle pivoted on said yoke to swing outwardly about said pivot and laterally about said swivel, an operating arm extending from said handle through said sealing block and provided at its inner end with a cross-head, a latch operating slide and a plurality of xed pivots disposed in proximity to said cross-head whereby said slide is actuated by pivotal movement of the crosshead about one of said pivot studs upon swiveling movement of said handle.

WILLIAM o. BURKE. 

